A Different Perspective
by minirix
Summary: It probably has been done to death but this is my take on what I would like to see happening after Chuck vs the Fake Name. Nothing romantic. Just conversations. Update: A Halloween edition of 'A Different Perspective'.
1. Chapter 1

_I believe that a lot of people had issues with Season 3. As for me, I was able to sit through most of the episodes without much trouble except for Chuck vs the Fake Name. So I was watching it the other day and well, this story kind of wrote itself. It's set after that episode and it's my take on what I would like to see. Don't know if it makes much sense since it's written very quickly. So I guess a little suspension of disbelief is needed :) One-shot._

_No beta for this. I didn't want to trouble my beta-reader with this since she already has her hands full with my other story. I apologise for the mistakes (which I'm sure there will be many). _

_And to those who might be waiting for an update on 'Beautiful Mess', I'm terribly sorry about the delay. I haven't forgotten about it. It's still a work in progress :)_

_Disclaimer: Chuck's not mine. Not today, not tomorrow, not ever._

_

* * *

_

Chuck stared despondently at the reports spread across the table. He couldn't concentrate on the words and pictures on the papers. His mind wandered instead to a certain blonde. One name played in his mind over and over again – Sam.

It hurt and he found it impossible to flash when he couldn't find his calm centre. Chuck gathered the papers and stacked them neatly into a pile. He looked forlornly at the empty Castle. That was how he felt at the moment – empty.

Pushing the reports aside, Chuck hoisted himself up on the table. Using the stack of papers as a makeshift pillow, he rested his head on it as he lay down on the table. Chuck closed his eyes and tried to block out all thoughts.

The silence worked for him as he found himself dozing off when a familiar voice interrupted his peace...

"Well, well, well... look at what we have here."

His eyes flew wide open and he sat up quickly. Slack jawed; Chuck stared at the sexy red head who was leaning her hips against the table.

"Slacking off aren't you?"

Chuck looked slightly offended. "I am not," he remarked defensively, shifting his position; his shoes now resting on the seat of the chair, "I'm just... thinking."

"_Right_," she drawled, her blue eyes glinting with mischief. She seated herself beside him, crossing her legs. "And why are you here alone? I heard that there's a new member to the team. Shawn?"

"Shaw," Chuck corrected flatly.

His bitterness did not escape the perceptive agent's attention. "Trouble in paradise, huh?"

"Carina, why are you here?" Chuck cried in exasperation.

"Chill, Bartowski. Which side of the bed did you wake up on this morning?"

"I..." he started but he soon deflated and shook his head slightly. Chuck mumbled an apology to her and stared off into space. He wasn't about to discuss his personal life to someone he barely knew, much less to an agent like her.

Carina looked keenly at the dejection on his face; surprised that she could feel even an ounce of sympathy for him. It bothered her somehow. She didn't know which was more disturbing: to even feel any kind of emotion for the nerd or the fact that Carina would rather see him smile than see the misery on his face.

She glanced around the Castle. It must be the gloomy atmosphere that was playing tricks on her mind. She needed to get out of that place.

"Buy me dinner, Chuck," Carina stated simply, smoothing the front of her black blouse and she pushed herself off gracefully from the table.

Chuck gave her a side long glance, "And why should I do that?"

"Really?" Carina said, unimpressed, "A hot woman like me is giving you permission to take her out to dinner and you, what-" she folded her arms, raising a brow, "Throw that chance away? And he's still wondering why he has yet to hook up with Sarah," she wondered aloud.

"Fine, fine," he hopped off the table, "But can it wait until I'm done with these reports first?"

Carina scoffed, "Let's not kid ourselves shall we. You weren't even doing anything before I arrive... so why bother?"

"Just out of curiosity," Chuck cocked his head, "Has anyone ever said no to you before?"

She drummed her fingers on the table, searching her memories, "Once,"she told him, "But that's really none of your concern," she winked and linked her arm with his. "Shall we?"

* * *

"I'm impress," Chuck exclaimed in awe after hearing her recount one of her missions in Santorini.

"Yeah... I continually amaze myself too," Carina replied matter-of-factly. "And the men there... gorgeous."

Chuck broke into laughter and leaned back in his chair.

"See," Carina smiled, "Isn't this better than moping all by your lonesome in that dreary Castle? Taking me out to dinner is a good move after all," she glanced around her, "Although... I would have chosen a finer establishment than this. But this will have to do for today."

"Nothing gets you down, huh?"

"We only live once, Chuckie, and being in our line of work, fighting for our lives every other day... we can never be too sure."

There was no air of resignation in her tone. It was really plain and simple for her. Death is inevitable. Chuck wondered if he could ever adopt the same blasé attitude.

"That sounds kinda depressing," Chuck regarded her intently.

"Nah. It is what it is. Life equals death," she shrugged. "If anything, that knowledge is the reason why I live my life with no regret. You never know if that next bullet is meant for you. Live life to the fullest, you know," Carina grinned, "The glass is always half-full for me." She lifted her cup, looked inside it and made a face.

Chuck peered into her cup and looked up at her, "Need a refill?"

"Erm... not really," Carina looked through the glass window, faint smile on her lips, "How 'bout a stroll?"

"A stroll?" Chuck asked sceptically, "You?"

"Why not?" Carina responded, a little incredulous, "Burbank may be a bore but," she gazed cheekily at him, "the company's not."

"Flattered," Chuck shot her a half smile, "But I don't know how I'm going to entertain you. I don't think anyone or any man can keep up with you."

"Let's stop the chit chat shall we," she rose from her seat and pulled his hand. "_You_ are showing me around Burbank," Carina smiled sultrily and Chuck had no choice but to obey, albeit less reluctantly this time.

"So where to?" Carina folded her arms as soon as they stepped out of the 'Gate of India' restaurant.

Chuck gazed at her for several seconds. He had no idea why she was here or why Carina still wanted to be in his company. "You sure you want to just... walk?'

"You can take me to your place if-"

"Alright," he interjected quickly; making her grin, "follow me."

* * *

"So... you still haven't told me why you were alone at the Castle today," Carina asked as they strolled down the beach.

Chuck didn't respond immediately. Soaking in his surroundings, he made a mental note to come to the beach more often. He had forgotten how at peace he would feel having the sand beneath his feet and the breeze swirling gently around him. _Life's simple pleasures,_ he thought to himself.

Chuck turned his attention to his companion who was hugging herself almost as if she was fighting off the chill from the breeze. His gaze softened and he removed his jacket, wrapping it around her shoulders.

Her head snapped up at his gesture, eyeing him curiously. Chuck shrugged his shoulders, giving her a small smile, "It can be quite chilly here." He shoved his hands in his jeans pockets and continued walking.

"I was benched," Chuck muttered after a while. "The rest of the team are on a mission. In Mexico. I was left behind to study the reports."

Carina smiled slightly. "But that's not why you were moping. You guys were having troubles when I left you the last time. It seems that it's still not over, isn't it?"

"Agents are complicated people to be with," Chuck replied impassively. "Tell me something," he stopped in his tracks, "Would you ever disclose your name to anyone?"

Carina tilted her head, studying him with interest. Her lips curled at the ends when she put two and two together. "That depends... if I'm gonna shoot him later, I'd probably consider that. But if Sarah," she paused, watching as Chuck widen his eyes at the mention of the blonde's name, "were to reveal her name to that Shawn guy, I'm pretty positive she was under duress and most definitely she wasn't thinking straight. Trust me, Chuck, no agent in her right mind would do stupid things like that. Especially her. I know Sarah."

"I, uh," he stammered, "I never said anything of that sort." Chuck turned away and resumed their stroll.

"Don't have to. Your face says it all."

"Shouldn't you dish as well?" Chuck sneaked a glance at her.

"Been working non-stop for three years. Told to take a break. For two weeks," Carina told him with indifference. "So I got bored. Thought I drop by and hang out with Sarah," and she looked pointedly at him, "Well... definitely not complaining," she smirked.

"Glad I could help, I suppose," he gave her a genuine smile. "Do you want to grab a drink? We've been walking for quite some time and you must be feeling rather thirsty."

"Aww... such a gentleman," Carina teased. "Let's just go to that convenience store and grab a soda."

"Really?" Chuck looked at her in amazement, "I swear I'm seeing a whole new side of you today."

"And you know what," Carina leaned closer, "I'll let you see all _sides_ of me if you spend the night."

"You never ease up on the teasing do you?" Chuck chuckled somewhat nervously.

"And miss the look of horror on your face?" Carina puckered up her lips and chuckled, "Not a chance," and she dragged him along.

* * *

"Isn't this too... I don't know, normal for you?" Chuck asked, bending down to grab the can from the fridge. He handed it to her.

"_Normal_? It's just soda, Chuck. You don't think I sip wine everyday from a golden chalice, do you?"

Chuck laughed. "Something like that. Want anything else?" He looked over his shoulder as he approached the cashier.

"Not for now."

Chuck paid for their merchandise and they left the store. As they ambled along a nearby pier, they spotted a bench and decided to take a break from all the walking.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Ask away," she said sipping her soda.

"What about love?"

"What about it?" Carina asked without much interest.

"Do you believe in it?"

"Overrated," she answered curtly. Carina softened her stance when she saw him studying his shoes. "I think it's addictive. It has the power to lure you in and just when you have your guard down, it turns on you and stabs you in the back," she spoke evenly, her voice betraying no emotion.

No words were exchanged as the silence stretched uncomfortably between them. "That jerk must've valued his dating life dearly," Chuck's quiet voice pierced through the uneasy stillness. Carina faced him with a perplex expression. "Because if he were to try and stab you in the front," a hint of a smile on his lips, "he wouldn't stand a chance. A skilled agent such as yourself would have kung fu-ed his ass, effectively ending his manhood."

A slight frown creased her forehead before she erupted in laughter. "God, Chuck," she cried, "That's so lame. And one more thing, I never said that it had anything to do with my personal life. It was just an opinion."

"Don't have to," he grinned, "Your face says it all."

"Is that so? And what about you? Why Sarah? Is it because she's a buxom blonde?"

He chuckled slightly as his gaze went up to the cloudless sky. "When you like someone, it goes beyond physical beauty," Chuck locked his gaze on hers, and continued, "It's about how she makes you feel when she walks in the room, when she smiles at you, when she gets angry at you. It's in all the little things she does and in return... you'll try your best to make her happy," he smiled ruefully. "Even if her happiness lies with someone else."

At a loss for words, Carina regarded him thoughtfully. "What?" Chuck asked softly.

She sipped her soda again. "Nothing."

"If there's one thing I know, when a woman says nothing, it always means something," Chuck bumped her on the shoulder but Carina kept her silence. "Wanna head back?" He tried again.

Carina nodded and stood up. "Here," he took the can from her, "let me throw that away for you."

She watched as he moved to throw the cans away and the words rang once more in her head: _It's in all the little things he does..._

_

* * *

_

"I guess chivalry isn't dead," Carina smiled mischievously, "I couldn't remember the last time a guy walked me to my doorstep."

Chuck smiled a little sheepishly, running his fingers through his curls, "It's a little outdated huh?"

"A nice surprise, actually."

"And you're a pleasant surprise. So where are you going after this? I doubt you're gonna be spending all your free time in Burbank."

"I'm probably going to Paris. Haven't really gotten the chance to enjoy the city because of all the missions."

His eyes shined with a sense of wonderment, "Paris?" Chuck sighed, "You'll be visiting the Eiffel tower? Notre Dame? The Louvre?"

Carina smiled, "You wanna come with me? We can visit Paris together and don't worry. I won't bite... much," she winked.

He felt his hopes soar and for a second, Chuck felt certain that he was going to take her up on her offer. The moment passed all too soon and Chuck shook his head. "Love to," he expressed regretfully, "but I still have some things that I need to flash on."

She narrowed her eyes at his curious choice of word. "Well, it's worth a shot."

Chuck smiled thinly and shifted a little, "Thank you... for the offer," he gazed at her earnestly.

Carina paused for a moment before she spoke, "Chuck, a man has to be assertive to get what he wants. Remember that okay."

"Duly noted."

"This hot chick is always right you know."

Chuck grinned broadly, "I don't doubt that. And good luck with Paris," he wished her before he left. Chuck took a few steps before he turned and looked at her again, "I really had a great time," he told her and finally walked away.

A slow smile spread on her lips and she closed the door.

* * *

Chuck held the frame holding a picture of himself and Sarah in his hands, stroking the glass surface with his thumb. Chuck emitted a long sigh. The memories of that happy day when they had posed for the camera seemed so far away. Chuck wondered if he could ever experience it again. Then he remembered what Carina had told him this evening and the end of his lips quirk into a smile.

_A man has to be assertive to get what he wants,_ Carina had said. Chuck gazed at the photo of the two of them one more time and placed it on the night stand. He knew what he wanted.

Picking up his cell phone, he dialled a secure line. He waited a few seconds before a familiar voice responded on the other end of the line. Chuck took a deep breath and calmly stated, "Bartowski, secure. General, I have a favour to ask..."

* * *

Chuck stood nervously in front of her hotel room door. He raised his hand to knock on the door and briefly hesitated. _Would she say yes?_ Gathering up all the courage he could muster, Chuck knocked three times and waited.

The door swung open and the occupant stared at him, astonishment clearly evident on her face. "I didn't know you were coming," she smiled, "To what do I owe this late night visit?"

"Were you expecting other company?" Chuck ventured hesitantly. He heard noises coming from inside the room and he panicked for a second, "Oh, you already have company," he mumbled quickly, "I better go."

She chuckled lightly and grabbed his arm, "Relax, Chuck. That was the TV. Come in," she held the door open for him.

"Uh, no. I'll make this quick." Chuck inhaled deeply and spoke rapidly. "This evening, someone told me that to get what I want, I must be assertive. And she told me a valuable lesson also," Chuck looked at her, "That if a hot girl were to ask you out, then you are an idiot if you said no."

She leaned her shoulder against the door frame, grinning at his words.

"So what I'm saying is," he swallowed a little, "Carina, would you like to visit Paris with me?" Then he added quickly, "Just as friends. I've never been to Paris and you have and I happen to enjoy your company this evening so-"

"Breath, Chuck," she gave her head a little shake, "You look like you're gonna choke on your words. Relax."

Chuck licked his lips, "So... what do you say?"

"Just as _friends_?" Carina asked with an air of mischief.

"Strictly," Chuck muttered a little nervously.

"I could live with that but," she wagged her finger, "don't blame me if nature were to take its own course."

Carina chuckled again when Chuck's eyes widened at her warning."God. Would you look at your face? I'm kidding. I know where your heart lies. Although I don't know how she would react if she knew you will be spending your time with me in the city of romance."

"I need to get away for a few days. We both need the space, I guess."

Carina nodded. "Okay but I don't think we can get the tickets for tomorrow."

Chuck smiled at last, "Being in the C.I.A. has its perks so I, uh... I've already taken the liberty and booked two plane tickets to Charles de Gaulle."

"Impressive," Carina remarked.

"Yeah," he sighed, "I continually amaze myself too," Chuck grinned.

Her eyebrow arched in amusement and they both laughed in unison. "So," she said when their laughter died down, "What if I were to reject your offer?"

"Well you only live once and I was certain that you wouldn't pass up the chance to see the look of horror on my face for one whole week."

"A _week_? Carina looked at him appreciatively, "What time do we leave?"

"I'll pick you up tomorrow at eight in the morning?"

"That's great," Carina said and before he left, she added, "And, Chuck, you're gonna love Paris. I guarantee that you won't regret it."

Chuck gave a lopsided grin, waved at her and walked towards the elevator.

He was looking forward to it already.

* * *

_That's it guys. Thanks for reading :)_


	2. Chapter 2

_Wow... you guys are pretty persuasive aren't ya? Well persuasive enough to have me reaching for my laptop and start typing another chapter to a story I've convinced myself I wouldn't revisit. The feedbacks have definitely been helpful in giving me ideas on how to expand the story. So thank you for that. I hope this chapter doesn't disappoint. But if it does, tell me about it anyway :) _

_All mistakes are mine. _

_Disclaimer: Don't own Chuck. _

_

* * *

_

It had been seven days since he left; and five since they'd last heard from Beckman about his request for a break.

And the C.I.A. skirt has not been taking the news well. Not that the reticent agent would say anything about it. She went about her work as usual. But Casey could feel the hostility and anger radiating from her body.

Glancing warily at the fury blazing in her eyes and the sweat forming on her forehead, he braced himself for another attack.

She charged forward and swung a punch which he evaded easily. "I can read your moves, Walker. You're way too emotional. It shows."

"Shut up, Casey," Sarah hissed and went for his mid-section which he blocked again. "I take it that the geek still hasn't called," Casey dodged her right hook, "Figures. Knowing her, Bartowski must be all tied up."

The fire in her blue eyes intensified and she swung her arm wildly. Casey saw an opening. Swiftly he dropped and swept out with his leg, knocking her legs from beneath her; the move sending her sprawling on her back.

He looked down at her and grunted, "Face it Walker. It's not me you're mad at. Not even Bartowski. You're mad at yourself. You have issues; don't take it out on me. I'm your sparring partner not your human punching bag."

And with those last words, Casey left the room as Sarah squeezed her eyes shut, fighting back the angry tears.

He was right.

* * *

Their laughter could be heard even before they descended down the steps of the Castle. Sarah's shoulders went rigid, her grip on her pen tightening.

"Wow..." the D.E.A. agent's voice could be heard, "... Everyone's here."

Casey lifted his eyes from his reports and saw the smirk on her face. He scoffed, "Look who's back."

"Well hello to you too, Johnny," Carina greeted and her eyes fell on Sarah, "And Sarah."

Sarah looked up impassively from her reports and gazed briefly at Chuck before she resumed her task. "Had fun?" She asked her voice devoid of emotion.

Chuck started to speak but Carina placed her hand lightly across his chest, shaking her head.

"Come on, Sarah," Carina smiled with an air of mischief, "You're not jealous are you? Nothing happened. Well... nothing much."

"Agent Walker-" Shaw paused and looked at Carina, "The Castle is for authorised personnel only," he informed as he went down the stairs.

"He looks like a male bot," she whispered cheekily into Chuck's ear and Chuck grinned.

"Chuck, when did you get back?"

"A few minutes ago," Chuck replied, "And Shaw, this is Agent Carina Miller from the D.E.A. We have worked together before."

"I've heard about you. You're one of D.E.A.'s finest," Shaw stated formally and extended his hand towards her, "Pleasure."

Carina regarded his proffered hand for a second, her hands on her hips. She smiled and reached out to shake his hands, "I'm sure the pleasure's all yours," she said politely, her words causing Casey to snort in amusement while Chuck suppressed a smile.

"Don't get me wrong, Agent..."

"Shaw," he said without batting an eye, "Daniel Shaw."

"_Right..._ as I was saying, don't get me wrong. It's just that Walker here never mentioned about you before. You know how she is," Carina directed her attention towards Sarah, "she's not exactly what you would call a sharer," her smile broadened, "aren't you... _Sarah?_"

The blonde agent remained silent, her mouth set into a grim line. Sarah held Carina's gaze, her tempestuous blue eyes meeting Carina's mischievous ones. With a voice that betrayed no emotion and her poker face properly in place, Sarah spoke, "We have a mission briefing in about," she glanced at her watch, "ten minutes. So, unless you are going to be involved in the mission, you shouldn't be here. I can't speak for all agents but over here, when we are assigned a task, we finish it," Sarah ended her sentence with a smile and her eyes locked on Chuck briefly before she looked back at Carina.

Chuck watched the exchange between the two women; his eyes flickered from one to the other. He exhaled. The tension between the two agents was almost palpable; it was stifling. His eyes searched for Casey. The Colonel looked up at him from his desk and grunted. He shrugged his shoulders and went back to reading his reports.

"Chuck," Shaw said to him, his voice breaking the suffocating silence that hung thick in the air, "Since you're already here, why don't you join us for the mission briefing? We could use your input."

"Well actually," Carina interrupted, "Chuck has already promised me a date," she nudged Chuck lightly, "didn't you, Chuck?"

Chuck looked at Shaw and then to Sarah with a guarded expression, before he directed his attention towards Carina's cheeky smile. And Chuck couldn't help the smile that stretched on his own lips. "Sorry, Shaw. Technically I'm still on my vacation. The General approved my request for a one week break and today is the seventh day. I'll report for duty tomorrow."

He was about to leave when Sarah called out to him, "Chuck, can I speak to you for a minute?"

Chuck glanced at an amused looking Carina and gazed wearily at Sarah. He recognized the tone. It was more of a thinly veiled command rather than a request. "Sure," he said.

"In private," Sarah added tersely before turning on her heels and marched off, out of their sight.

Carina smiled at him, "I'll wait for you outside," and she looked at Casey briefly, "Bye, Johnny," she shot him a foxy smile and turned to leave without sparing a glance at Shaw.

Chuck found Sarah waiting impatiently, her hands on her hips and her wrath on full display. "Really, Chuck? Paris? And with Carina? What were you thinking?"

"I needed a break, Sarah," Chuck explained calmly, "From everything. From everyone." _From you._

"A break?" Sarah clenched her jaws. "Chuck, how could you be so unprofessional?" She paused when she saw him flinched slightly at her remarks; feeing a sliver of guilt. Her hand went up to her forehead for a second before she folded her arms.

"I couldn't flash, Sarah," he muttered, "Didn't it ever occur to you to ask me why? What good am I if I couldn't flash?"

Sarah looked down regretfully. "Chuck..." she started, "... you know you're more than that. You provide so much more to the team," she gazed up at him, "You need to know how important you are. How could you drop everything and went to Paris with her. And you didn't inform m- us," Sarah averted her eyes for a moment, calming herself. "She's my best friend," she gazed at him, "but you and I both know how unpredictable she can be. What if something were to happen to you? Chuck... we shouldn't trust easily."

Chuck watched her silently; feeling drained all of a sudden. He noticed the physical distance between them and smiled bitterly. "Is that how it works for you?" Chuck gazed steadily at her_._

Her eyes snapped up to him. She bit her lower lip and looked away. "I never meant to hurt you," Sarah said without looking at him.

"Sarah... you have no idea..." Chuck said, his voice barely above a whisper. He took a step back, leaning against a wall, widening their distance.

Her eyes reddened slightly with unshed tears as she pursed her lips. She avoided his gaze once more. "Chuck... about the other day," she took a deep breath and looked at him, "With Shaw..."

Shaking his head tiredly, Chuck sighed, "It doesn't matter anymore," he muttered quietly.

Neither spoke for a long while nor did they look at one another. "I'm able to flash," Chuck told her softly. "I found out this morning."

Sarah cast a worried glance over to him and Chuck gave his head a shake, "She doesn't know. But Sarah, however unpredictable she is, Carina's not that bad."

She looked at him, her expression unreadable. Sarah took a moment before she said anything.

"So... what did you guys do?" Sarah asked offhandedly, her index finger tapping repeatedly against her arm.

His gaze went up, a wistful smile on his lips but he kept his silence. Sarah was about to speak when Shaw appeared before them, "Agent Walker, briefing in two minutes."

"You should go," Chuck said gently, "I'll see you on Monday."

Sarah moved past him and just before she took another step, she halted briefly and gave him a sideway glance, "Chuck, I know it won't change anything but... I'm really sorry," she told him sincerely and she walked away.

Chuck stared vacantly ahead. He should be letting it go. Letting out a long resigned sigh, he lingered in the room for a little while longer before he made his way out of the Castle through the other exit.

* * *

"Sorry," he said as he approached her. Carina turned around and smiled. "Sorry I made you wait."

"Would you stop apologising already?" Carina paused, "You look like you could use a little pick-me-up. Walk me to my car?"

He nodded, looking a little subdued, and fell in step with her; neither speaking for a while.

"So... that was the infamous agent you were talking about. A _fine_ male specimen but are you sure he's not battery operated?"

He chuckled a little at her question. "You know what," he said, "Now that you mention it, I'm not too sure anymore. He could be Superman."

"You're such a nerd," she rolled her eyes playfully. "So how was it?" Carina asked casually.

"How was what?"

Carina just lifted an eyebrow at him in response.

"You mean the way you attacked that guy with your rapier wit?" Chuck deflected.

"Hey, I was being very subtle," she looked at him innocently.

Chuck laughed again, "Yeah, you have about as much subtlety as a spy with a loose canon."

Carina joined in the laughter, "Nah, I'm sure he didn't feel a thing_. _He's not wired that way. Anyway, you did good down there, Chuck. I'm impress."

"Well I have a good teacher," he smiled at her.

"And don't you forget that," she remarked with mock seriousness.

His smile softened as he gazed at her appreciatively, "It wasn't all for show, you know. Let me take you out to dinner before you leave for D.C. and this time, you pick the restaurant."

"Why, Chuck... are you asking me out on a date?" Carina eyed him mischievously.

He grinned, shoving his hands in his trousers pockets, "Umm... you know what, if my one week with you have taught me anything, it's that one can never win an argument against a seasoned D.E.A. agent. I'll let you believe whatever you want to."

"You learn quick," she winked.

Chuck pressed his lips together, "What about you and Sarah?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well... back at the Castle..."

She frowned for a second before a look of recognition appeared on her features, "You're worried about that?" Carina waved her hand dismissively, "Sarah and I go way back. We've been through a lot worse. _Way _worse. This is nothing, Chuck."

"That's a very relax way of looking at things. It _is_ a long standing friendship we're talking about here. Shouldn't you at least be a little worried?"

"Chuck, you worry too much. If something works out, then fine but if it doesn't, you just move on. Why worry your pretty little head over it?" Carina stated with an indifferent shrug. "Besides, Sarah and I have what you would call a unique friendship. I enjoy rattling the control freak a bit and she knows it," she smirked.

"It's that simple, huh?" He mused.

"Don't worry, Chuck," Carina said casually, "If things don't work out with Sarah," she grinned wickedly at him, "you know where to find me. Not a blonde but... I'm definitely sexier."

His mouth gaped slightly, "I didn't..." but he thought better of it. It was futile. "I wish I could see things the way you do. Instead of having to worry about what should've been and what could've been. Constantly trying to figure out what a certain action means. Trying not to hurt people's feelings."

"Why couldn't you just let things be?" Carina asked in amusement, "Seriously, Chuck, a nice guy like you... makes me wonder why you're stuck in this business."

Chuck smiled a little as they approached her car. Leaning against it, he spoke, "You make it sound like everyone in the spy business are people with questionable characters."

Carina rested her back against her car, "Give it a few more years, Chuck. You'll know what I mean," she swivelled her head to the right, "But guys like you... I don't know. Hard to tell."

He narrowed his eyes in bemusement, "Meaning?"

Carina shot him a cryptic smile and glanced down at her wristwatch, "Love to talk but I've gotta go." She fished for her car keys in her purse and unlocked the door. Opening the car door, she tossed her purse on the driver's seat.

"So... no dinner, huh?" Chuck asked.

"Rain check?"

He smiled in reply. "Thank you... for everything."

"Aww... Chuckie, you're not going all sentimental on me are ya?" She teased, "Careful there, you might end up pining for this sexy superspy."

He blushed slightly, "You're really..."

"Amazing? Trust me, I know," she smiled saucily.

"Yeah... I never thought I would ever say this but... you are amazing," he told her truthfully. Chuck pushed himself away from the car and stood facing her, "Carina," Chuck started hesitantly, "Uh... if you ever want someone to talk to... someone to just hang out with or someone to carry all your shopping bags for you," he said making her smile, "then you know you've got one more friend in Burbank. I'm just a call away."

Her smile wavered for a split second; the mischief in her eyes fading as well. But all too soon, she graced him with a cheeky grin and raised an eyebrow in mischief. "You know," she leaned in, "carrying shopping bags is not the only thing you can do for me..."

He shook his head and smiled as if in defeat, "I'll see you around."

She stepped back with a slight chuckle and got in the car. "Hey, Chuck, did ice queen ask what we did in Paris?"

"Yeah," Chuck looked a little mystified, "Why?"

Carina cracked a sly smile, "Don't tell Sarah about what happened in Paris. It'll be our little secret. Let her go crazy for a few days," Carina laughed.

"But we-

"Bye, Chuck," she shut the door, started the engine and sped away, leaving behind a speechless Chuck. And just like that, she was gone.

He waited till her car was out of sight; waited till the reddish glow of the setting sun disappeared into the horizon. And still he waited.

Throwing a glance over his shoulders and letting his gaze wander over to the Double O, he let himself relax a little. As he walked away and flashed back to the last two weeks of his life, Chuck realised that it really didn't matter anymore.

He was finally letting go.

* * *

_Well... did something happened between Chuck and Carina in Paris? ;) As they say, unleash your imagination. So that's really, really it guys. Thanks for the time, the feedbacks and the kind words. And if it's not too much trouble, please tell me what you think of this chapter as well. Although something tells me that this chapter might not be the ending that people want, but it's how I'd like to see things resolved. Hey, I tried my best :) And as usual, thanks for reading._


	3. Chapter 3

_Someone asked me why I keep writing Charina and that I should write Charah instead and the pairing 'sux'. Hmm, haven't we already gone through this? I guess I'll humour you this one last time since this isn't the first time I've been asked that question ;)_

_I write Charina because I like Carina as a character. I like writing about the pairing and I like reading about them. While I don't necessarily have to share it online, (I'm very much aware of the lack of interest in the pairing and that I wouldn't get many reviews seeing that most prefer to read Charah) I do it anyway. Why? Because I think some actually do read it. Although I'll be the first to admit that my stories are not anywhere close to the awesomeness of the Charah stories out there, I think some people read it because they're curious about Charina. That's about all I could come up with._

_So all I will say here is that, though my stories (I believed) are just harmless fluff, I think that hardcore Charah shippers who can't stand non-canon pairing, should probably stay away from my stories. And I say that without any bitterness or sarcasm. However, when I do grow tired of all these, I'll probably remove all my stories from this site. But in the meantime, here's another Charina chapter for those who want to read it. It's Halloween themed and it takes place about eight months after chapter 2 ends. As usual, thanks for reading and reviewing in advance and also many thanks to **njdevil9 **for the prompt. He'll know what I'm talking about if he reads this - **minirix :)**_

_(And as always, please forgive the mistakes. I'm sure there'll be many. Feel free to point them out to me though.)_

_Disclaimer: Don't own Chuck_

* * *

_891… 892… 893…_

Chuck pushed away his covers in frustration. Apparently, counting jumping Ewoks couldn't help him get the sleep he so desperately wanted. Reaching to his left, he made a grab for his digital clock.

_1.42 a.m._

How long had he been rolling around restlessly on his bed in the hopes of a few hours of uninterrupted sleep? Or more accurately; how many days has it been since he last had any at all?

He opened his eyes, letting them adjust to the lack of light from his surroundings. Except for the bluish glow from the clock, his entire room seemed to be cloaked in unnatural darkness. Not a sound could be heard all around him. He shut his eyes tight as an irrational fear clutched at his heart. He didn't know how long he stayed in that position but then it suddenly happened.

The smooth scent of vanilla.

His body stiffened. He could hear his heart pounding in his ears as the scent overpowered his whole being. His heart rate spiked to a new high when he heard rustling to his right and moments later, warm air grazing the skin on his cheek.

A muffled sound escaped his throat. _Is it a ghost?_ _This is crazy_, he thought. His mind was definitely playing tricks on him. _Yes. That must be it_. The lack of sleep was getting to him.

He nodded with his eyes still shut. _And it's Halloween!_ He could have laughed out loud if he hadn't been shaking.

"That's it," he muttered.

"What's it?" a voice echoed.

"Gaahh!"

A loud thud followed Chuck's girlish scream as he tumbled down from his bed, knocking the clock from the nightstand in the process.

"Don't bite me! I'm not married!" he covered his eyes with his hands.

The room erupted in laughter and Chuck could only whimper in fear. As he listened intently though, his fear gradually morphed into confusion and then suspicion. It sounded familiar.

He peered cautiously and whatever fear he had disappeared.

"Carina!" he shot to his feet and flicked the switch, flooding the room with fluorescent light. "You almost had me killed."

The red head's only response was to double over in laughter while holding her sides. "Bite you?" she said in between her giggling fits, "What the hell, Chuck?" she laughed again. "Am I a vampire?"

"Unbelievable," Chuck muttered. "That's it. I'm revoking your right. No more sneaking up on me in the middle of the night."

Carina slowly sat up on his bed, wiping her tears away. "Come on, Chuckie. I didn't mean to scare you like that. Smooth landing by the way."

"I could've died."

"Don't be so dramatic."

"Of a heart attack."

"Then I'll just give you the kiss of life." She grinned at him. "Remember? Paris? You, me, the Eiffel tower?"

"Vaguely," Chuck folded his arms.

"So you don't remember grabbing me and kis-"

"You were the one who kissed me," he cried in panic.

"Ahh, so you do remember. But didn't you kiss me back?"

"I was dead tired after the climb and I was in shock," he whispered sharply. "And it was reflex action."

"Riiight," she said while examining her nails. "And if you get a girl pregnant that's reflex too? You had no choice but to fall on top of her?"

"Oh my God," he began pacing the room. "You're pregnant? That's why you're here isn't it?" The pacing stopped and with a stricken expression, "And it's mine."

She sighed and eyed him with mild weariness. "Chuck," she explained to him slowly, "if I were pregnant_, you_, have to actually do something to me first and I would have remembered us doing it. No matter how embarrassing that experience may be."

"You could've been drunk."

"Because that's the only way for me to even consider sleeping with you," she drawled resting her back against the headboard.

"Or you could have me lubricated," he immediately grimaced at his choice of words. "I mean, you could've gotten me sufficiently drunk instead."

"Lubricated?" she eyed him slyly. "How?"

"Anyway," he deflected quickly, "what are you doing here? In the middle of the night? Scaring me like this? You know very well-"

"My journey here was fantastic. Thanks so much for asking." Rising to her feet, she walked up to him, "Now that we're done with the nagging, I'll just go bunk with Martin."

"Okay, okay," he whispered a tad guiltily, blocking her path. "Morgan's not around and I wouldn't want you around him anyway."

"Jealous?"

"Hardly."

"But," he added hastily, holding her arms when she tried to leave, "I do apologise for my behaviour. Still, you could have called."

"Where's the fun in that? And why do you keep whispering?"

Pointing to the camera, he said, "I keep forgetting. Someone could be listening."

"Like who? Sarah?"

The name brought a slight hesitation. "I'm just-"

"Look," Carina cut him off, looking thoroughly unimpressed. "The problem with you is, if you keep worrying about your tomorrows, you'll lose sight of what's right in front of you."

Frowning, "You mean, you?"

"Exactly," she nodded with confidence. "I'm what's important right now. So," her nimble fingers pulled his chin down toward her, "attend to me first. I'm your number one priority for the day."

"There's no backing out of this, is there?"

"Are you sick?"

"No."

"On the brink of death?"

"No."

"Sleepy?"

"Kind of."

"Then there's no reason for you not to keep this hot thing entertain, right?"

With a defeated smile, he pulled away from her, strode to the door and swung it open. "Wherever you want to go."

"Now we're talking," she smirked.

* * *

It wasn't where she imagined he'd take her. Then again, it was Chuck Bartowski she was talking about here. A wild surprise definitely wasn't on the cards. Still, would it hurt if he were to come up with a more original idea?

"Really, Chuck? The beach is all you can think of?" she sat down glumly with her legs stretched in front of her. Looking to her left and then her right, all she could see was endless stretch of deserted white sand. She wrapped the jacket tighter around her. It was much colder this time around. Not that she will ever admit it to Chuck.

He'd earlier insisted that she bring along his jacket for extra protection against the cold wind. The DEA agent of course, had argued otherwise; that her body was well equipped to handle the rigours of the natural element. Furthermore, she didn't think the oversized leather jacket would match her style.

Snuggling in the warmth of the added layer of clothing, she was grudgingly glad Chuck was nothing if not persistent.

"You did say you wanted to catch a glimpse of Burbank's shooting stars," he settled down beside her. "That," he gestured toward the sky, "is your best shot."

Holding back a response, her hand reached instead for a seashell partially buried in the sand. She inspected it quietly, brushing off the sand away and held it in the palm of her hand. "It's a sand dollar," she said, almost to herself.

"It has a name?" he peered at it with interest.

She simply shrugged and put it back where she found it.

"I thought you gonna keep it?"

"Nah, too much trouble. You gotta soak it in fresh water, bleach it," Carina paused because Chuck was regarding her with curiosity, leaning closer as she spoke.

The ghost of a smile formed on his lips and her eyes narrowed. "What?"

"You're a closet seashell collector, aren't you?" he grinned.

Carina rolled her eyes. "It's not me. It's my-" she caught herself and waved a hand dismissively, her eyes searching the sky. "I haven't seen any shooting stars, Chuck. You're lying aren't you? You just wanted an excuse to bring me here so you can do something indecent," she bumped his shoulders.

"If I really wanted to, I'd just do it in the comfort of my room," he snorted.

"But you're scared of Walker," she taunted.

"Am not. Anyway, you're changing the subject but being the gentleman that I am, I'm gonna let it slide. But tell me truthfully," he narrowed his eyes at her, "you're benched aren't you? That's why you're here."

For a brief moment, her calm façade made way for frustration before she spoke, "Is that why you think I'm here… today?"

He hesitated long enough for her to let out a let out a resigned breath. "You wanna celebrate Halloween with us?" Chuck tried hopefully.

"No one said you're the sharpest knife around." She shook her head, her lips etched with a wan smile, the cool mask of indifference sliding back into place.

"Hey, I'm offended by that."

"You're more like the sharpest spoon?"

Looking at her all business-like, Chuck nodded, "I'll take that."

"Of course you would," she snickered. Their eyes briefly met and they were soon chuckling. They sat there in comfortable silence, eyes trained on the night sky, hoping for a glimpse of the elusive shooting star.

As Chuck sat there thinking, an idea – though impossible – presented itself to him. The late night visit, shooting stars, the melancholy… _could it be?_

"About today," Chuck ventured hesitantly. "I've been thinking. Could it be… your birthday?"

For a second, Chuck could've sworn he saw a flicker of surprise flashed across her calm expression – which should be an indication that he was probably right. However, logic soon prevailed over suspicions.

In his mind, he could see no reason why a top D.E.A. agent like Carina would want to spend her birthday with a nerd like him. They weren't exactly best friend although he would admit that their trip to Paris and her subsequent surprise visits to Casa Bartowski had gotten them closer. At least close enough for the term 'friends' to be mentioned loosely when describing their relationship.

Nonetheless, "Is it?" he pressed on.

An enigmatic smile played on her lips. "Does that any make sense to you?"

He opened his mouth to speak before closing it. Jutting his lower lips with a thoughtful frown, he cocked his head as he regarded her, and at long last, "It doesn't," he said slowly. "But your actions seemed to say otherwise."

Without explaining further, Carina simply rolled her shoulders back and stretched her limbs. "If you say so, Chuck."

Chuck watched her lean back, her arms supporting her weight. She said nothing more as she raised her eyes once again to the heavens.

"So what's the deal between you and Walker?" she asked out of the blue.

"You're not sharing. I'm not telling," he looked petulantly at her.

"Fine," she laughed. "Be that way."

"Fine," he retorted back fully intending on keeping mum. Of course Chuck could never be silent for long.

"You know what," he said, exasperation in his voice, "this is unfair. Friends share."

Still not looking at him, she smirked, "Depends on what I'm sharing."

He moved into her view, pushing her legs aside. "See there," he pointed at her with mounting agitation. "You do that all the time."

"Do what?"

"Deflecting. You'd never shown me anything real, at least not where your real emotion is concerned. I've always been honest with you."

Bringing her knees up to her chest, she considered his rant with bemusement.

"Have you?"

"I," he stammered. "Well I might have omitted several details but I didn't lie to you."

"Huh," she placed her hands one on top of the other on her knees and rested her chin on them. "So you've omitted certain things. But of course, lying by omission is not lying per se."

"You're doing it again. Playing around with words. And sarcasm. You're big on that."

"You're really are mad at me aren't you?" she suppressed a chuckle by covering her lips with her hand. It was a gesture that did not go unnoticed by Chuck - which further infuriated him.

"I saw that," he said.

"Fine. What do you want me to do exactly?" she tried the serious look.

"You're mocking me."

"I'm not," she protested, feeling a little annoyed.

Chuck studied her closely. Never one to back down, Carina held his gaze, refusing to even blink.

"Treat me like I'm your friend," Chuck said.

That seemed to elicit a reaction. "Isn't that what we are?" she asked.

"No, that's what you are to me. Friends confide in one another. I've told you about my situation with Sarah. I've discussed my feelings with you. I go wherever, do whatever you want me to do. I've never pressed you for anything even when I could see that something's bothering you. I know that there are things about your job that should remain a secret. But there comes a point when you have to start trusting me. I know that we haven't been friends for long but the fact that you kept springing these surprise visits on me ever since Paris, I thought that at the very least, you're comfortable enough to talk to me about what's on your mind. But this is getting ridiculous. It's been almost eight months since then and I don't even know what your favourite food is. You know, for all your posturing, your supposed free-spirit, you're even more closed off than Sarah Walker."

Throughout his outburst, her expression grew more and more passive. A master at guarding her feelings, her heart was rarely troubled by something as trivial as a nerd's rant. On the exceptional occasion when it did- like now for instant – she didn't know how to deal with it. Hence cool detachment had been a necessary defense mechanism.

She remained collected, hardly displaying any signs of discontent. She thought long and hard about what he'd said, and the more Carina replayed the words, the more unjustly accused she felt.

"Are you done?" she asked, the irritation simmering beneath her calm exterior. Without waiting for his reply, Carina rose to her feet as she smoothly wiped off the sand from her jeans. Barely affording a glance his way, she sauntered off in muted silence.

Chuck rubbed his face in frustration as he watched her leave. _Did he go too far? _For a moment, he sat there feeling torn. Should he go after her or should he give her the space she wanted?

It was only when she was a distance away that he finally made up his mind. He got up and gave chase.

"Carina, wait," he called out to her.

She kept on walking until he reached her and not for the first time that night, blocked her path.

"Look," he started, trying to get her attention. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that."

"You didn't?"

"Okay, I did but I shouldn't have acted like a jerk."

"I wouldn't go that far."

"Really?" he asked in astonishment.

"Yeah. You were more like a jackass," she faked a smile.

He hung his head and conceded, "I probably deserved that."

"But," she folded her arms, tilting her head.

He hedged for a while and looked up at her. "But I'm partly right? That you still don't really trust me?"

"Not trusting someone and not telling them things are two different things," she said tiredly. "Just because I didn't tell you that my favourite food is chocolate, that doesn't mean I don't trust you."

"I was just using that as an example," he mumbled but then he perked up. "Chocolate? For real? Wait, does that mean you trust me?" he smiled in amazement.

She shrugged, neither confirming nor denying the fact; letting her silence answer his question as she continued her stroll down the beach. Allowing Carina to walk a few steps ahead, Chuck followed wordlessly behind.

Perhaps it was the stars shining like jewels in the vast black sky and the moon causing the sea to shimmer beneath its glow, but the night seemed especially otherworldly. And as he fixed his attention back on Carina, it struck him how lonely she appeared, how pensive she'd seemed throughout the night even when she was putting up a cheerful front. Expecting Carina to reveal the contents of her thoughts was out of the question. She divulged almost nothing.

He stopped in his tracks, bending down to pick up a seashell. "Not just a seashell," Chuck remarked as he eyed Carina whose solitary walk has apparently ended. Rooted to a spot with the waves lapping at her feet, she seemed oblivious not only to his presence but the dipping temperature as well while she stared into the far distance_. A sand dollar, huh,_ he mused to himself and walking up to her, he said, "If I ever see that shooting star, do you know what I'm gonna wish for?"

From where he was standing he could see her smile but aside from that, she'd said nothing. "For just one day, I wish, I really wish, that I know what it's like to walk in your shoes. To know what you're thinking. What makes you- whoa!" his eyes bulged as he staggered to maintain his balance. His hand went up to his chest, touching the spot where he'd felt a powerful jolt of electricity.

"What the hell," murmured Chuck and when he looked up, he found Carina staring back at him, her hands to her own chest. As he started to speak, the world around him started to spin wildly and the last thing he saw was a bright white spark before darkness engulfed him entirely.

It could be hours or maybe minutes, but when he came to, his entire limbs felt almost disjointed. He was experiencing light headedness and disorientation. Giving his head a shake, Chuck began massaging his temple, his blurry vision beginning to focus. Eventually, feeling a little better, he reached for his chest and panic seeped in.

_Oh, God, no… _Chuck began hyperventilating. Cautiously letting his eyes travel south; he began bursting out in horrified screams, the three words going over and over again in his mind: _I have breasts! _And with that, Chuck Bartowski finally fainted.


	4. Chapter 4

_I hate to leave the story unfinished and this story in particular was nagging at me to continue it. __This chapter is just **m****inirix** being extremely silly. So please excuse the ridiculousness of the plot ;) And the mistakes. _

_Dedicated to my dear friend **nikt**. Stay healthy, my friend :)_

_Disclaimer: It's sad but Chuck is not mine. Although Zach Levi is available right? Right?_

* * *

There was nothing to indicate that the day would be anything but ordinary. Like every other day, the sun rose as Carina watched it peek slowly over the horizon. The waves gently rolled and caressed the stretch of sand and the scent of morning dew hung thick in the air. It was what a normal day would feel like, Carina thought, except for one glaring difference – she wasn't looking particularly normal. Nor was she feeling at her best – the huge boulder resting in her head refusing to go away. And she thought that this was only the stuff of science fiction movies. _So much for 'wish upon a shooting star'._

Long after she had accepted that their situation was irreversible, at least for the foreseeable future, Carina Miller took to scrutinizing every aspect of this body that she now inhabited.

She raised her hands in front of her. _Or are they his hands, _she wondered to herself. _This is so weird_. Deciding that since her soul or whatever it was called, was residing in his body, so technically, it was her body now. And in order to avoid confusion, she concluded that she was going to call it her own for the time being. Despite that, she couldn't help wondering if the 'powers that be' decided to forego sanity, checking their brains at the door every Halloween. Cursing under her breath, she figured that she could try and make the best out of the warped situation as she possibly could.

From her peripheral view, she could see Chuck hunched over, lightly sniffling.

Carina groaned as she gave him her full attention. "Are you still crying? My body is going to be all shriveled up with all the tears you're draining."

His head jerked towards her, pouting at Carina as he mumbled something incoherently before burying his face in his knees once again.

"For the love of God, Chuck, would you stop the waterworks already? You're making my face look ugly. I don't do ugly, Bartowski," Carina snapped at him.

"We switched, Carina," Chuck looked at her, his tone clearly distressed. "Our _bodies _switched. How can you talk about being pretty at a time like this?" Carina winced as she watched Chuck dab at his tears using the sleeve of her favourite t-shirt. She would have hit him on the upside of the head if it weren't hers to begin with.

"My life is ruined," his whining continued.

Tempering her exasperation, she inhaled deeply. "My head hurts, Chuck and you're making it worse. At least you got my supermodel body. I got _this,_" she said gesturing to every part of her. "Not even a six pack."

"I have breasts."

"Yeah?" Carina scoffed. "Big deal. I have man breasts," she said as Chuck glared at her darkly. "If looks could kill," she rolled her eyes. "Look, obviously this is a Halloween thing and I bet the effect would wear off soon. Anyway you clearly wished for it. Be thankful that you finally got it."

"So it's my fault now?"

"Was it me who wished upon that damn shooting star? One second I was admiring it and the next- Bam! Sex change."

"For the last time, I didn't see it when I said what I said. And I certainly didn't wish for _this_. And who'd have thought that it would come true anyway." And he looked at Carina in despair. "What are we gonna do?"

"Chuck," Carina sighed, "it'll wear off."

"We don't know that. What if it's permanent?"

"You did mention that it was to be for a day, didn't you? So let us just wait and see."

Chuck looked clearly stumped for an instant as he shook his head, trying to figure her out. "How do you do that?" Chuck asked. "Time after time." He pushed the bangs away from his eyes impatiently. "You don't even look worried."

With a shrug of her shoulders, Carina merely said, "Shit happens, Chuck. That's life."

"But this is different!"

Not looking the least bit bothered, Carina got up and stared down at Chuck, "We'll try to get through the day, alright. If we're not back in our own bodies by tomorrow, then we'll start panicking. Happy?"

"Wait. Where are you going?" Chuck called after her, scrambling to get up. "Damnit," he muttered as he half wobbled and half walked. "Carina! I can't walk in these heels. And oh my God," Chuck's eyes grew wide with terror. "Are you sashaying? Don't you dare, Carina Miller. I don't do cat walk. People are going to judge that body. Carina!"

* * *

They sneaked through the gates as inconspicuously as they possibly could. Well, at least Chuck did while Carina sauntered coolly, walking past the fountain and stood impatiently in front of Chuck's door, fishing inside her pockets.

"What are you looking for?" Chuck asked distractedly, his eyes darting nervously around him.

"Keys," she replied with irritation.

"Front pocket."

"It's not here."

"Oh, come on," he said, not wanting to wait around a second longer as he grabbed Carina's hand and lead her towards the Morgan door.

Once in, Carina headed straight in the direction of the bathroom; which of course, caused Chuck to panic.

"Whoa! Where the heck are you going?" Chuck rushed after her, standing in the doorway, arms outstretched. "What are you going to do?" He looked up at her in alarm.

Crossing her arms, she eyed him with a faint air of amusement. "I'm going to have my breakfast in the bathroom. Why else would anyone go in there?"

"Har, har, har. Don't think I don't know your trademark sarcasm when I hear one."

"Now that you know, move it, Bartowski," Carina started to push past him only to have him stubbornly refusing to budge from his spot.

"No."

"_No?_ Would you rather join me in there? We can scrub each other's back and gossip as we sit in the tub." Rubbing her hands with a smirk, she said, "We can have a bubble bath and play with your rubber duckies."

"You're such a pervert," a look of disgust crossed his face.

Stepping into his personal space, Carina now towered over him, making him feel intimidated. It was strange; being cowed by his own face that looked so familiar and yet so alien at the same time. Chuck could've sworn that he'd never looked like that when he smirk. _On second thought, when did he ever? _

Her eyebrow arched ever so slightly as she leaned down really close that their breath mingled, which lead him to shrink back in response. "You mean the thought of," she tilted her head, her lips curling slyly, "taking a peek at that body of mine never crossed your mind? To know," her voice lowered to a whisper, reaching out with her finger as it traced his jawline, his neck and down to his collarbone, "how that body feels like?"

The skin where her finger had lingered seemed to burn, leaving him short of breath as his eyelids unwittingly grew heavier. In his distraction however, he didn't realized that Carina had cunningly pulled away, entered the bathroom, pushed the door close, and left him staggering in the hallway. Standing outside the bathroom, he wondered how she managed to pull a fast one over him. Time and time again.

Gaining his bearing eventually, Chuck banged on the door. "Carina, you better close your eyes in there." He heard her snickering and a moment later, the sound of the shower being turned on. Sweating now, all he heard was a wolf whistle. "Don't go touching where you shouldn't." Knocking weakly, "Carina?"

Chuck must have unexpectedly dozed off longer than he thought while sitting and fretting beside the door. Because when he awoke, the sun was already high up in the sky, and Carina was gone. All that was left was a pile of clothing on the foot of his bed.

Searching frantically from room to room, he felt anxiety mounting inexplicably. He paled as his mind wandered to places unimaginable. As he continued to agonize, a startling detail occurred to him. _Damnit, damnit, damnit, _he thought. _The intersect_. He had to find her fast.

* * *

The bell to the Double O rang lightly behind her. Sarah Walker exhaled as she stopped tapping on her cellphone. Putting her phone away, she put on her cheerful face before turning around to greet the customer. Her smile immediately gave way to stunned and then awed silence.

Cute was a word she'd always used to describe Chuck Bartowski. And a charming nerd with a simple fashion sense. But not this.

"Chuck?" Sarah started, staring at his perfectly coiffed hair. Decked in all black, with the razor sharp crease on his pants and the sleeves rolled up to his elbow, Sarah thought that Chuck looked… _sexy. _

But it wasn't just his outward appearance. In Sarah's eyes, the man was oozing confidence. He seemed to stand taller; his posture straighter and there was an unmistakable glint of playfulness in his eyes. And if it was even possible at all, Chuck was exuding an air of cockiness.

"I did a bit of shopping," Sarah heard him say. "Like what you see?"

"What brings you here?"

"You."

"Okay…" her eyes narrowed. "Why, did you flash?"

Sarah watched as her question brought a slight frown to his expression. "What kind of flash?" he asked.

Taking a step back as he moved closer, Sarah regarded the man with growing confusion. "What do you mean? You know what I'm talking about."

"Flash… "he edged forward, pinning her body between the counter and his own, "don't flash, what does it matter, right?"

"Chuck," Sarah heard her own voice wavered, "there are cameras here." It was all the protest she could muster before she saw his lips closing in on hers. _So… very… close…_

"Stop that!"

Sarah's head jerked toward the door with a startled expression. "Carina?"

"I've been looking all over for you."

The blonde saw her best friend make an ungainly entrance, stumbling over the threshold and rushed to Sarah's side, pulling her away from the nerd.

"Trust me, you do not want to be doing that," the red head panted and wheezed.

"Two more seconds and I'd have realised the dreams of all the fanboys the world over," Sarah heard Chuck muttered under his breath. And as he looked at her, she saw him giving her a cheeky wink. _Wait… a wink? Chuck? Winking? What the hell is going on?_

They were speaking in hushed tones as they stepped away from her. Sarah could only hear snippets of their conversation – something about credit card, fashion, and twelve dollars per hour - and the more she stared at them, the more she was beset with bewilderment. Unable to contain her curiosity any longer, Sarah pushed them apart, stood in the middle and demanded, "Explain."

They continued to nudge at each other – Carina was doing the nudging while Chuck stood there looking bored.

"Okay," her best friend was the first to speak up. "But not here."

* * *

Carina walked across the room, and like she had done on so many occasions, made herself comfortable on Sarah's bed. As she stretched her long limbs on the entire length of the mattress, she could feel their eyes on her – one pair disapproving and the other burning with questions.

Explaining didn't interest her. She figured, if Chuck wanted to try and enlightened Sarah about their crazy situation, well, by all means. It was hard enough to come to terms with her current condition without having to deal with someone who wasn't in their shoes. Literally speaking.

"This is a joke right?" Sarah asked no one in particular, her palm pressing against her forehead. She walked to the glass window as if in a daze and sat at the table. No sooner did she sit, she got up and paced the room, running her fingers through her hair.

Chuck shot a hapless look at Carina who simply shrugged her shoulders.

"Sarah," Chuck took a few steps towards her but stopped in his tracks when she held up a staying palm.

"How?" Sarah asked. "I mean… it's… I just don't… I can't," she then let out a long drawn breath, her eyes raised to the ceilings. "This is crazy," she muttered.

"Not as crazy as having something between your legs," Carina mumbled, her eyes closed.

"Don't start with me, Carina," Sarah flared.

With an amused smile playing on her lips, Carina drawled, "Well, look who's smartening up now?"

"How did this happen?"

"Ask your boyfriend over there. You know," she pointed at Chuck, "the one in that hot body." And when Sarah shot Carina a murderous glare, "I swear, sweetheart, that's your man in there, all…" Carina sighed in derision, "frumpy. Seriously, Bartowski? You're letting that feet of mine… wear sneakers? And your life is ruined?" she added, the back of her hand resting on her forehead.

"What?" he looked sheepishly from Carina to Sarah. "Those things are a killer."

"And you just murdered my reputation," Carina rolled her eyes.

"And you're so not helping the situation," Chuck seethed.

"Alright, enough," Sarah cried. "Let's just think up of ways to get you back to your own bodies. Because seriously, Chuck, I'm sorry but, looking at you creeps me out."

"Hey!" Carina protested. "Don't you mock that body of mine. It has feelings."

"_It_?" Sarah asked.

"Don't argue semantics with me, Walker. Besides, constantly referring to it as 'that hot thing' is a mouthful. Now," Carina pulled the comforter up to her chest, shifted on her side, and tucked her palm underneath her cheek as she closed her eyes, "stop talking. My head hurts. And my body hurts. I need some sleep."

Sarah was about to protest when Chuck hurriedly held her back and whispered in her ear. With an alarmed expression, she darted a quick look at Carina, and then back at Chuck. He shrugged while shaking his head, understanding the question in her eyes. Walking to her desk, she motioned for him to keep his silence as she wrote on a piece of paper and passed it to Chuck. Once he finished reading it, he looked at her, and nodded. Passing him her car keys, she said, "Chuck, how about getting us something to eat. We can't think on empty stomachs."

"Get me some aspirin too, Chuckie," Carina mumbled, her back still towards them. "And something sweet. Preferably with cocoa in it."

Looking equal parts exasperated and bemused, he strode to the door, and with a nod to Sarah, he left her apartment.

Once they were alone, Carina lay on her back and stared at Sarah. "So, why all the secrecy?" Registering the slight look of surprise on her friend's face, "I'm a spy, remember?"

Walking to the bed, Sarah said, "Scoot over."

"Getting frisky are we?" Carina said. "Can't wait to share a bed with me?"

"Just. Move."

"Sheesh," Carina said, making room for Sarah. "When did you start being such a snappy bore?" she asked as Sarah climbed on the bed and lay down next to Carina.

"Since the day you ran off to Paris with Chuck without telling me. Since the day you made your move on him on Eiffel tower. Since you came back from Paris and made Chuck ignore me for two whole weeks." And Sarah stared pointedly at Carina, "And ever since Chuck replace me as your new best friend. And what the hell is a snappy bore? Did you just make that up?"

"He told you what happened in Paris, huh?" Carina grinned.

"And which part would that be? The part where you tried to stick your tongue down his throat or-"

"Or the part where we actually slept naked on the same bed?"

"What!" Sarah's eyes bulged.

Unable to contain her laughter, Carina winced slightly as her hand brushed against her abdomen.

"Oh my God, Walker. That was exactly how he looked like when I suggested it. You guys are really made for one another."

"You are such an as-"

"Astounding comedian." Carina smiled as Sarah rolled her eyes. "Come on, Walker. Have I ever taken something that belongs to you?"

"You said, and I quote, 'I love taking what Sarah wants'."

"But have I ever?" Carina asked, her tone less teasing now.

A beat.

"No," Sarah sighed. "You haven't."

"There you go." Carina then smirked. "But if you ever dump him, I'm waiting in the wings."

"He's not even your type."

"I don't know," Carina propped herself up on one elbow; her cheek resting against her fist. "He's quite interesting once you get to know him."

"He is, isn't he?" Sarah gazed up at Carina.

For a moment too long.

"I make this face more irresistible, haven't I? Give me a kiss," Carina shot a seductive gaze.

"Oh gross, Carina." Sarah reddened slightly as she hit Carina on her arm.

Laughing again, Carina said, "What? You just went all mooney eyed on me. If I didn't know any better, I'd say that you were about two seconds away from jumping me – body-switch notwithstanding," she said.

Sarah could only reply by throwing a pillow at a gleeful Carina; who didn't even try to evade it. As Carina pushed the pillow aside, she glanced at the door and remarked, "You told him not to come back isn't it?"

This time, Sarah hardly looked surprised. Getting up from the bed, she padded across the room, poured a glass of water, and passed a bottle of aspirin and the glass to Carina.

"How bad is it?" Sarah asked.

"Like a rock sitting on my brain," Carina muttered as she gulped down the water. "I'm trying to ignore it." After she set down the glass, she looked at Sarah, "I don't know why you're trying to keep me from going out but I'm not even going to ask. Something tells me that it has do with this thing inside Chuck's head," Carina paused, gauging Sarah's reaction. Confirming her suspicions, she shrugged, "Thought so."

Stretching out on the bed again, Carina closed her eyes. "Wake me up at midnight, Blondie. Who knows – the switcheroo might just happen then."

Sarah just gazed down at her friend without answering; seeing the rise and fall of her chest. She let out an audible sigh, and it was minutes later before Sarah sidled next to her friend; resting her head on the same pillow.

It has already grown dark outside when Carina awoke to the scent of pizza and hot cocoa. Her stomach growled. "I need food," she said, sitting up on the bed. Looking down at her body, she shook her head in slight dismay. "And I need my body back."

"It's still not midnight yet," Sarah said, bringing a plate of vegetarian pizza and a mug of hot cocoa, and set them down on the nightstand.

As Carina peered inside the mug, she made a face. "Missing an ingredient."

Sarah smiled. "Marshmallows?" Reaching for a slice of pizza, she exclaimed, "Well some things never change."

Sticking her tongue out at Sarah, Carina then took a sip from the mug. "He stopped by, huh?"

Sarah nodded. "Dropped this off," she gestured to the pizza, "but he said that he had to leave to search for some… _sand dollar_?" Looking perplexed, Sarah asked, "What's that?"

Chewing thoughtfully, Carina said, "Why didn't I think of that? Maybe that's it," she stood up suddenly, grabbed her cellphone and hurried towards the door.

"Where are you going?" Sarah asked.

"To the beach. Maybe we need to replicate yesterday's event. Might just work," Carina said."

"Wait. Just hold on a minute." Rummaging in her purse, Sarah took out a small blue box, tied with a silver ribbon, and walked over to Carina. As she handed it to her friend, Carina lifted an eyebrow.

"What?" Sarah crossed her arms. "Did you think I'd forgotten all about it?"

A soft smile tugged at Carina's lips as she fiddled with the ribbon. "Tack kompis."

"Nie ma za co," Sarah whispered, hugging Carina. And when she released Carina, she warned, "You only get to open it when you're back in your own body."

"My gift, my rule," Carina grinned and with that, she stepped out of Sarah's apartment without saying goodbye, leaving the blonde muttering under her breath as she closed the door behind her.

* * *

"So let's do it exactly like we did yesterday, alright," Carina said, standing at the water's edge. "And this time, say it like you mean it."

Standing a few metres away from her, a sand dollar in his hand, and looking a tad indignant, Chuck protested, "Do I look like I wanna be stuck in this body forever?"

"Stranger things have happened, Chuck."

"Well I don't want to be in this body a second longer. I don't like getting hit on by men." He looked away in disgust momentarily, and after a while, shook his head. "How do women like you cope with it?"

"Women like me?"

"Yeah," he replied offhandedly. "Beautiful women like you and Sarah. Tough life."

"Not so easy being you either," she said.

Chuck blinked and stared at Carina. Cautiously, he asked, "What do you mean?"

_That cryptic smile_, Chuck thought. He wondered if she knew about the intersect.

"Let's get on with it, alright," Carina waved a dismissive hand. "And this time, wish harder, honey."

"Fine," Chuck huffed. "The moment you see that shooting star-" He didn't get to finish his words because Carina was already pointing excitedly up at the sky, shouting, "Now!"

"I wish…"

* * *

The book lay open on her lap. Her mind was too preoccupied ever since Carina left her apartment. Sarah lost count of the number of times she'd checked her phone for any messages from either Chuck or Carina. Picking it up again, she sighed. There weren't any missed calls or messages.

As she held up the book again, Sarah heard the knocks on the door. She sprang from the bed, rushed to the door, throwing it wide open.

She hesitated, staring at the man before her. "Did it work?"

He stared down at his feet in gloomy silence and Sarah's heart sank. But then Chuck suddenly started to laugh, wrapping his arms around Sarah's waist, twirling her around.

"Chuck?"

He graced her with his infectious Bartowski smile and it was all the answer Sarah needed. "And Carina?"

"She left," Chuck said, pushing the door close. "Oh and she told me to pass you a message: You will never be replace." When Sarah chuckled, he asked, "What did she mean?"

She cupped his face and planted a quick kiss on his lips. "Best friend speak, Chuck. It's nothing." Leaning in for a second, she smiled in amusement, "You might want to change your shirt. You smell like a girl."

"What?"

"I'll go get a t-shirt for you."

Taking out a folded t-shirt from her wardrobe, she was jolted by his sudden screams. Expecting the worst, she ran to him, panicking. "What? What? What happened?"

Standing with his shirt open, he pointed in horror at his body. "What is this? What the hell is this? I'm gonna kill her."

Biting her lower lip, Sarah's hand flew to cover her mouth, stifling her laughter. Just then, her cellphone vibrated. Pulling it out from her pocket amidst Chuck's ranting, she read the message from Carina.

_-Like the tattoo? I wanna go for red but I figured blonde is more his type ;)_

Her gaze travelling back to the work of art, she marveled at the tiny but extremely detailed figure of the buxom blonde just above his left hipbone. The blonde was holding a knife. And that did it.

Sarah Walker finally burst out laughing. Unpredictable or not, no one would argue that Carina Miller has a wicked albeit twisted sense of humour.

She could almost hear her cackling somewhere out there. Wherever that _somewhere_ might be.

* * *

_And so it ends. Another arc finally completed. Phew. ;D Thanks for reading._


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